6 note-taking apps for group

Observe-taking is one thing all of us do ultimately. Regardless of if it is advisable to write lists, copy down a cellphone quantity, or take detailed notes on a dialogue or class, there is a note-taking app on the market that is for you. The right note-taking app should simplify your workflow, and show you how to maintain issues organized. There’s a variety of choices now for a note-taking app; some are perfect for desktops, whereas others are designed for use with phones and tablets.

The appropriate note-taking app will can help you seamlessly jot down or dictate your notes throughout a number of platforms and have them synchronized and able to go from anyplace. A fair higher hub of ideas must also have group methods that make it straightforward to seek for and discover your notes as a way to rapidly reference data everytime you want it.

1 Microsoft OneNote

My favourite note-taking app

Microsoft / Pocket-lint

My prime general note-taking app

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote manages to suit the majority of Microsoft Phrase’s text-formatting and modifying talents into a light-weight note-taking app that handles every little thing from textual content, to audio, to handwriting and drawing.

Professionals

• Free to make use of
• Helps handwriting enter from tablets
• Cross platform assist on iOS, Android, and Mac

Cons

• Works finest inside Microsoft’s app ecosystem

Microsoft’s OneNote is my favourite, and it is the note-taking app that I’ve used probably the most. OneNote is my day by day driver for each my skilled writing, but it surely’s additionally what I take advantage of to draft brief tales and jot down day by day reminders. It isn’t the snazziest note-taking app accessible, however should you’ve used Microsoft Phrase, then OneNote’s interface, which options the identical “ribbon” bar, ought to really feel comfy to you. Better of all, you should use OneNote with a free Microsoft Account.

The free model of OneNote will give you all of the options you may want, together with the power to cross-sync your notes throughout Home windows, Android, macOS, iOS, and even iPadOS. You will want to pay further if you would like greater than the 5GB of allotted cupboard space or if you wish to export your OneNote information to Workplace Phrase or Excel. If any of those apply to you, you will want to pay for a Microsoft 365 account, which begins at $7 monthly, however you do obtain the remainder of Microsoft’s 365 productiveness suite.

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2 Apple Notes

The default and fully-free notes app for macOS and iOS

My favourite iOS note-taking app

Apple Notes

Apple’s Notes app comes pre-installed on all Macs and iOS gadgets, and it is our favourite iOS note-taking app. Whereas there are different note-taking apps on the market for iOS, Notes has seen some nice enhancements over the previous few years that make it our favourite for the iOS platform.

Professionals

• Latest updates have improved the app
• May even be accessed from a bowser

Cons

• Expertise is not very intuitive

You probably have an iPhone or Mac pc, there is a fairly good probability you have interacted with Apple’s free Notes app. That is most likely my second most-used notes app, and I prefer it as a result of it’s straightforward to make use of, has constant helpful characteristic updates, and is totally built-in together with your different Apple gadgets by way of your iCloud account.

Notes has improved drastically since its unique launch again with the unique iPhone. The newest iOS replace permits you to have hidden conversations with the Notes app, in addition to create straightforward group notes for issues like celebration planning or a category task. If you’re utilizing the Notes app on an iPad, the app is Pen suitable, and you’ll hand-write notes. Be warned, nevertheless, it is not probably the most intuitive expertise, as it’s a must to insert a handwriting part into your be aware, as a substitute of drawing immediately on the be aware.

Apple Notes could be accessed from practically anyplace, together with your browser. You possibly can entry all your Apple notes by way of your iCloud account, and that is true even if you’re utilizing a Chromebook or Home windows PC. When you can view and edit your Apple Notes information by way of an online browser, I do not suggest utilizing the Home windows model of the Notes app, because it interacts fairly poorly with the Home windows 10 and 11.

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3 Bear

The most effective various to Apple Notes for iOS gadgets

Bear / Pocket-lint

Nice various to Apple Notes

Bear

Bear is for iOS customers who need a clear design and feature-rich substitute for Apple’s Notes app. Bear encompasses a tagging system together with Markdown assist for simple organizing of your notes.

Professionals

• Markdown textual content modifying assist
• Apple Pencil assist
• Intuitive tagging system for group

Cons

• Solely suitable with Apple merchandise

Bear is a good possibility for anybody who desires a extra feature-rich note-taking app for iOS gadgets and Macs. The killer characteristic of Bear is that it permits you to write in Markdown (a formatting software that permits you to format textual content in real-time) and tag every be aware to maintain your ideas neatly organized. You do not have to make use of the Markdown characteristic, although. Bear is straightforward to make use of, and it is easy to prepare your notes your personal method. There’s additionally pen assist, so you should use the Apple Pencil natively in Bear.

I actually respect how straightforward utilizing the Apple Pencil is with Bear when in comparison with Apple’s personal Notes app. You do not have to create any further fields to attract with the pen, and the app’s response to the pen is nice. Bear can be utilized free of charge, however the free model limits your exports to simply .TXT, Markdown, and Textbundle information. The cost tiers for Bear are a bit complicated, however for $3 a month or $30 a yr, you’ll be able to export your notes to just about any format, together with ePUB and OCR. The paid model additionally consists of iCloud syncing, so your notes can go anyplace with you.

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4 Google Preserve

The most effective easy and totally free note-taking app

My prime light-weight note-taking app

Google Preserve

Google Preserve is free to make use of and accessible on all platforms, but it surely lacks group options in comparison with the opposite choices on this record. Nonetheless, it’s a nice note-keeping app for anybody on the lookout for a light-weight note-taking app.

Professionals

• Simple to make use of
• Completely free
• Cross-platform

Cons

• Lack of group options
• Google Docs has higher integration

If you’re on the lookout for a easy and light-weight note-taking app or one that does not have a steep studying curve with a ton of options, think about Google Preserve. Google Preserve could be accessed from any system and is an excellent note-taking app for jotting down fast notes or for creating day by day to-do lists. You possibly can enter photos into Preserve notes and hyperlinks with ease, and Preserve is built-in with the remainder of Google’s ecosystem.

Preserve is accessible immediately from Gmail, making it straightforward to jot down fast bits of data from emails. It’s also possible to draft writings in Preserve and export them on to Google Docs, saving time within the writing course of. That is how I take advantage of Preserve, and whereas it is not my day by day driver in the way in which OneNote is, it is nonetheless in my rotation of apps. It is good having the ability to copy down vital dates, cellphone numbers, or names from Gmail with out having to open a separate window. There isn’t any charge for utilizing Preserve, however do take into account that your Preserve notes will influence your general Google account storage, so when you have a whole lot of already-existing Sheets and Docs, you could must pay for extra Google storage.

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5 Notion

The most effective premium note-taking app

My favorite feature-rich premium note-taking app

Notion

Notion is a well-liked note-taking app usually utilized by software program builders, but it surely’s nice for anybody because of its wide selection of customized templates and options.

Professionals

• Extensive ranging use circumstances
• Totally different templates for various makes use of
• AI integration

For those who’ve labored for a startup or have labored on a technical crew, there is a good probability you will have interacted with Notion. I’ve used Notion each in a job setting, however I’ve additionally used it as a digital journaling software. It is some of the versatile note-taking apps that I’ve examined, and should you’re prepared to spend time on studying all of the ins-and-outs, Notion can do practically something you need it to as a note-taking app.

Notion / Pocket-lint

Notion is constructed with blocks of your notes. It is easy to create your personal Wiki, to-do lists, or day by day or weekly planner with Notion because of the block system of the UI. Notion runs in your browser, so it is usable from anyplace, and you’ll share something you create with another Notion customers. It is free to make use of, however if you wish to carry in additional than 10 individuals to your Notion, or create personal pages, you’ll be able to pay for Notion beginning at $8 a month.

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6 Obsidian

Essentially the most expansive note-taking app, for these with persistence

My favourite feature-rich note-taking app

Obsidian

Obsidian is a good, feature-rich note-taking app, but it surely encompasses a steep studying curve. It is free to make use of for people, however companies might want to pay for a industrial license from Obsidian.

Professionals

• Free to make use of for people
• Graph notes
• Wide selection of free plug-ins

Obsidian is probably the most feature-rich note-taking app on this record, but it surely’s additionally probably the most tough to study. It shines by regionally saving your notes, eliminating the requirement for an web connection that many of the different apps on this record have. It additionally retains your be aware safe, however safety at all times comes at a value, and that primarily interprets to how tough Obsidian is to study.

There is a ton you are able to do with Obsidian. You may make a nesting doll of your notes, graph them, and arrange connections inside an online design. It’s also possible to benefit from the lots of of free plug-ins which are accessible for Obsidian. Obsidian’s finest characteristic is its customizable options. You may make issues look nevertheless you would like, so long as you might be prepared to discover ways to grasp the app.

I’ve spent a whole lot of time with Obsidian, and whereas I have not mastered the app by any means, I’ve gotten a style of simply how helpful and deep Obsidian options go. I’ve used Obsidian to draft tales, however the place I’ve actually seen it shine personally is with long-form writing. Obsidian is a good software for storyboarding because of its graphing characteristic, and it is my most well-liked technique of utilizing the app.

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FAQ

Q: How did you resolve on these picks?

As a author overlaying shopper tech and life-style, I’ve examined many various note-taking apps through the years. I constructed this record by prioritizing ease of use and value whereas contemplating options. The highest picks are what I’ve present in my very own testing to be the easiest-to-use apps, whereas the extra feature-rich apps are additional alongside within the record.

Q: Is it value paying for a note-taking app?

This in the end relies upon by yourself particular person wants. If there’s a particular characteristic that it is advisable to pay for for a note-taking app, and also you assume it is going to simplify your workflow, I’d say go for it. I’ve paid for note-taking apps prior to now due to sure options I needed to make use of, however I do not presently pay for any note-taking apps. As a author, nevertheless, I’ve no drawback with paying for a note-taking app if I do know that it’ll make my life simpler.